Look Up

I’m commuting to San Francisco a few days a week for a project I’m working on and I’ve noticed a few things worth noting.

First, I leave my house at 7am and the streets are really quiet except for the homeless people. I saw three folks camped outside the food closet that’s part of a downtown church. I see homeless people around fairly often but this really struck me yesterday morning.  It’s chilly in the morning and I can only imagine that it got pretty cold through the long night.   In one of the richest towns in California or the world for that matter, the problem of homelessness persists.

That brings me to my next thought.  As I neared the train station, I then saw three white Tessa’s lined up to drop someone off. It looked like a Tesla dealership. So that kinda says it all. Three homeless people and three Tesla’s within 300 yards of each other. Poverty juxtaposed with extreme wealth.

I was helped with the ticket machine by a twenty something hipster who was clearly in the know and then I was off.  It’s a very pleasant 34 minutes up to the city so plenty of time for people watching for me.  Business people look a lot different then they did the last time I rode public transportation regularly (that would be the 90s in DC, folks).  No suits, obviously, and the crowd looked much younger, but maybe that just because I’m older now.

Once I reached the city, those little electric scooters and skateboards were everywhere, helping folks reach the last mile of their destinations.  I’m way to uncool and uncoordinated for that, so I just have to walk.  But several adult (i.e. my age folks) at the start-up where I’m contracting cruised in on scooters and they looked quite reasonable.  Not on my Christmas list for now, but I’ll keep an open mind.

But after train and street car to my financial center destination, my number one take-away is that there is zero eye contact.  Everyone, and I do mean everyone is plugged in, face down to some screen.  Almost without exception.  So my goal is going to be to take Buddha with me on the train, say hello, smile and most importantly, look up.  Look at the beautiful scenery as it passes by.  See the people.  Be a part of it.

Look up folks, it’s all out here.